Shifter
by Ivory pen
Summary: Its funny, i used to suck at transforming...but now...you can't even tell who i am...' a new legend is being born, seigyoki no tatazumai.


Wow...Its been a while hehe...no excuse really except that I hit a wall and couldn't find my muse. I'm back now hopefully, with a new story! Not the one you voted for but i'll explain that at the bottom. Hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto...yet O,o.......

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_**Shifter- ****Prologue**_

**_Precious-Ivory_  
**

"You have just over thirty minutes" the monotonous voice stated from behind a blank, white mask as Chakra flowed into an intricate seal above the lock of the prison cell door.

"I know" was the curt reply from the short, pink haired medic that stood fidgeting with the loose threads on her cloak behind him. The ANBU frowned behind his mask. Her voice was just as sharp as she was forcing it to be but even then, he could still hear the tremor, the nasal pronunciations of her words due to her blocked nose; courtesy of nights spent crying. He didn't have to turn around to know the uncertainty and anxiety would be dancing in her emerald green eyes behind the curtain of her short, cherry hair, or the way her teeth would gnaw at her bottom lip in an attempt to hide her trepidation...

His gloved hand fisted tightly then dropped limply from the seal. Taking a deep breath he turned to face her. His mental assessment was right; she looked worn and tired even in the dim candlelight that lined the walls of the stoned corridor. He took a cautious step forward, highly aware of guard standing behind the door at the other end of the passage and bent his masked face so that they were only inches apart, his jet black hair falling to brush the top of the girl's wide forehead.

"Sakura..._ It's too much of a risk! _We have it covered, you don't have to-"he began almost inaudibly but she was already shaking her head and brushing past him, her strides becoming more confident.

"That's where you're wrong Sasuke-kun" she whispered, grabbing hold of the door handle with pale, callous hands, "I'm not useless anymore..." a flinch, "besides, It's too late to start changing things now"

The eighteen year old AnBu didn't turn around until he heard the door creak open, and then slam shut, sending a shock through the walls.

* * *

The first to hit was the smell. It was so foul she had to resist the urge to gag. Recoiling slightly, she pulled her cloak up to shield her nose and began to walk down the circular staircase till she reached a small, stoned chamber. It was dark except for the torch that hung from the wall near the bars of a cell, but even with the limited light she could see that the space for movement was limited, almost pitifully so. _No guards with prisoner..._ she noted mentally_...not needed I suppose, there is no window, no ventilation, with a door that only opens from the outside._

As she began to move forward, her mind wondered back to the facts that she had gathered about the hidden prison. This room held no record of prisoner entrees or releases. It shouldn't exist but here it was, residing under the Hokage tower like an unwelcome guest, accessible only by AnBu. Only those who are to face death are brought here. A shiver ran down her spine. How many people had been brought here? How did _he _cope, alone, knowing he was going to die?

There came a rustling of chains from the other side of the room, and Sakura gasped haven foolishly forgotten in the silence, that she wasn't alone.

"H-hello?" she called, peering into the bars of the cell (_weak...traces of steel, but not completely...)_ warily. There came no reply. Turning to the wall, she fumbled for the torch and took at step closer, holding the light next to the bar so that it shone ahead, into the corner of darkness. The fire flickered, momentarily illuminating her face causing someone to take a sharp intake of breath inside. Eyes widening in hope, she tried again, "Can you hear me! Are you awake? Naruto?"

There came the sound of shuffling and then suddenly two dirty hands pierced the darkness and grabbed hold of the bars. Startled by the abrupt action, Sakura gasped and fell back onto the floor, allowing the torch to roll to the bars and illuminate the figure sitting cross-legged inside.

His dirty blond hair was long and unruly, tied back into a pony tail with strips of thin leather. He was dressed in dirty black shin obi wear, but with all its rips and tears, the attire was almost completely unusable. But that was where the changes ended; his eyes were still the brilliant, endless blue orbs she remembered with the familiar, reassuring whisker marks adorning each cheek. Realising he was being looked over, the teen dropped his surprised expression and instead smiled ruefully at his old crush, but the smile didn't reach his eyes...eyes that now, looking closely at them, looked so hollow...empty. But then again, what did she expect?

"Not what you expected to see huh?" Sakura blinked as he spoke, not expecting him to begin the conversation first, but then again, he was always Konoha's number one...she stopped with a grimace, not even able to finish the sentence.

"Well, do you blame me...considering-"

"Yeah, I suppose so" he replied, his smile failing, "I don't even know how I look like myself...It's been so long since I've used this face" he trailed off raising a hand to his face almost in wonder and that's when Sakura noticed the shackles on his arm, riddled with glowing seals she's never seen before, pulsing as if they held life of their own. Suddenly it clicked.

"They're absorbing your chakra, that's why you-"

"Sakura..." he interrupted her, hands pausing over his thin whisker marks, "Sakura-chan, why are you here?" the question was unexpected and Sakura was temporarily lost for words.

"B-because we-"

"Don't try and break me out of here Sakura"

* * *

For a moment Sakura was frozen, crouched staring unbelievingly into the eyes of her former teammate. But then her eyes filled with burning emotion, shining for the first time in a long while.

"You can't be serious! Of course-"

"No Sakura!" he interrupted sharply, eyes narrowing, "you'll only end up dying for no reason...Danzo would seat to that"

"'_For no reason'! _Naruto, they're going to kill you!"

"And after what I have done, by the rules they have every reason to" He states simply, staring resolutely into the flames of the torch laying beside him, "I acted against Konoha"

"But you did it for the_ good_ of Konoha!" She argued back, crawling forward to clutch the bars. The teen only smiled; a different kind of glint in his blue eyes.

"Did I?"

_Not at first..._Sakura's lip thinned at that, knowing he had got her and her hands dropped from the bars in defeat.

"Everyone falls, Naruto" she said looking away, "It's if you get up that really matters"

He nodded appreciatively and gently lifted her face to face his through the bars, "then by all means...let me rise" he whispered softly. She shook her head out of his hand stubbornly, causing her hair to dance along with its movement.

"Not like this...not like this"

"Call it off Sakura, as long as Danzo is in power you guys need to be careful, especially after today" she winced but didn't turn away, "Things are going to change Sakura...for the better" he said softly after a short silence.

"Is that a promise?" she asked with a rueful smile, but it soon slide from her face to be replaced with the beginnings of a frown, "So different, yet still the same...you've changed Naruto"

She waited patiently for his reply but he only stared, right into her eyes as if he was searching for something, and Sakura couldn't help but shift uncomfortable under his scrutiny. Finally, having found what he was looking for, he smiled; his expression suddenly a fraction warmer than it was before.

"Sakura, I see now why he choose you" he muttered with closed eyes, almost to himself. Sakura stared back in confusion.

"W-what do you mean Naruto?" But he only shook his head, disregarding her question in order to ask one of his own.

"Sakura, if I was to tell you a story, would you listen?"

* * *

"Dammit" Sasuke muttered from under his mask as he spotted shadows moving under the door at the other end of the corridor...They didn't have much time. Sakura had been down there for almost an hour and he still hasn't heard a knock on the door to signal him to let her out. He was beginning to worry.

Just as he began contemplating spending a clone down there himself, there came a quiet rap on the door. He couldn't help but let out an audible sigh of relief as the door opened and the short medic stepped into his awaiting arms. "You took long. We need to get out now; my shift is almost over" She nodded stiffly against him and slowly he released her, savouring the warmth of her body heat and the scent of her hair as he adorned the emotionless facade of the elite AnBu squad once again. "Did you get the time?" He asked with a bland tone as they made their way to the front office to report the 'health' of the prisoner to the Hokage. Conflict shone in her eyes but a moment later, it was gone.

"Yeah, they'll come for him three hours past noon" she answered, her voice quivering with unrecognisable emotion. Oblivious, the teen nodded and together they made it out the corridor.

Three hours later, four shin-obi would break into the cell; armed ready to rescue the prisoner on his way out of his cell. But they will soon come to find that the chamber is already empty. The execution haven been carried out two hours earlier.

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**Author:** OMD, did I kill naruto? Yeah so that's the prologue....not to sure about it though, I just felt the need to get something out there and I have really good ideas for the future of this-which will hopefully be in two parts...PLEASE review...even if its bad...(but don't flame me! T_T), i want your opinions for improvements and what not. There will be pairings which will be revealed later on. BTW LOOKING FOR BETA FOR BOTH MY STORIES if your interested please PM me.

About my story 'By the sword'. That will be up by the end of December. I want to concentrate on that one so i'll leave it till I start my school holidays.

SO...thats all for now!


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